Irène de Watteville
Artist Statement
As a child in Alsace, in the dining room of my grandmother, I would sit on the warm steps of a Swiss 17th century stove decorated in blue and white tiles; indubitably European decorative arts have influenced my sense of aesthetic.
I completed a four year diploma at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston majoring in painting and printmaking. Erik Gronborg was my first teacher in ceramic; he encouraged me to allow the clay to have its own way. For twenty years I painted tile murals with the faience technique. Now I am using the same method with sculptures crafted in porcelain: it is such a noble and strong material.
To me the juxtaposition of incongruous elements with an elegant je ne sais quoi is a sufficient goal, and hopefully it can also bring a smile to the viewer.